Blue-throated goldentail

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Blue-throated goldentail

The blue-throated goldentail (Chlorestes eliciae), also called the blue-throated sapphire, is a small hummingbird found from southern Mexico to western Panama and in parts of Colombia. It lives in humid forests, forest edges, gardens, and plantations, from near sea level up to about 2,000 meters, though most records are around 950–1,000 meters. The species is currently listed as Least Concern by IUCN.

Description
- Size: about 9 cm long and 3.6 g in weight.
- Male: green crown, green upperparts, and a coppery or gold-green tail; a glittering blue-violet throat; coral-red bill with a black tip.
- Female: violet-blue throat, greener upperparts, paler overall; bill similar but with slight differences.
- Juveniles: resemble females at first and then change as they mature.

Habitat and range
- Range: southern Mexico to western Panama on both sides of the spine, with populations in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
- Elevation: typically 950–1,000 m, but some records occur up to 2,000 m.
- Habitats: humid to semi-humid forest, secondary growth, gardens, and plantations.

Diet
- Primarily nectar from a variety of flowers (including Stachytarpheta, Hamelia, Heliconia, Renealmia, Thalea, Inga, Psidium) and some epiphytes, with small arthropods taken occasionally.

Behavior and calls
- Males sing in leks with songs that vary between leks.
- Calls are high and buzzy; the wings produce a typical humming sound.

Breeding
- Nests are cup-shaped, made of plant material and spider silk, placed 2–4 meters high in vegetation.
- Females usually lay two eggs.
- Breeding is thought to occur mainly during the dry season (December to July).

Taxonomy and conservation
- The species was formerly placed in Hylocharis but was moved to Chlorestes after a 2014 study.
- Because of its wide range and increasing populations, it is not considered threatened.

Similar species
- It can be mistaken for the rufous-tailed hummingbird (larger with a longer rufous tail) or the blue-headed sapphire (blue crown and head sides). They overlap only in parts of eastern Panama and northwestern Colombia.